Doctoral programmes in Europe

1. Bologna Promoters’ Presentation Material (to be adapted as needed) Doctoral programmes in Europe

2. Content of the Presentation • The changing nature of doctoral education • Doctoral training in the EU context • The Salzburg Principles • Key issues from EUA projects on doctoral programmes • New doctoral programmes in Europe? 3

3. The changing nature of doctoral education • Changes in doctoral education reflect: • the changing needs of the global labour market • the policy objectives of the Bologna Process and Lisbon Agenda with it ambitious goal of 700.000 researchers and 3% GDP investment • Trends include: • Move to structured PhD programmes and schools • PhD candidate = young researcher (professional, not student) • Growing diversity of doctoral qualifications • Doctoral training of today = original research and training of transferable skills 3

4. Doctoral training in the EU context • 2003 Berlin ministerial Communiqué defines Doctoral Programmes as the third cycle in the “Bologna study programme and degree stucture” • Doctoral training becomes the main link between the European Higher Education and European Research Areas (EHEA and ERA), the ‘two pillars’ of the knowledge-based society • 2005 Bergen ministerial meeting approves the Salzburg Principles • 2005: European Commission adopts the European Charter for Researchers & Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers 3

5. The Salzburg Principles • The core component of doctoral training is the advancement of knowledge through original research; • Doctoral programmes and doctoral training should be embedded in institutional strategies and policies; • The importance of diversity • Doctoral candidates as early stage researchers • The crucial role of supervision and assessment • The need to Achieve critical mass • Appropriate duration • The promotion of innovative structures • The importance of increasing mobility • The need to Ensure appropriate and sustainable funding 3

6. Key issues from EUA projects on doctoral programmes Organisation and structures: • Need for stronger institutional involvement in the organisation of doctoral programmes • Trend towards an increased development of doctoral schools embedded in research environment and achieving a critical mass (EUA TRENDS V survey shows that 30% of institutions have established doctoral schools) • shift from individual-based to structured programmes. Trend towards a mix of different organisational type (individual-based, structured programmes, doctoral schools) 3

7. Key issues from EUA projects on doctoral programmes Access and admission: • Importance of flexibility in admission procedures in relation to institutional autonomy • The Master’s degree remains the main but not the only entry point to doctoral training • Greater attention has to be paid to the social dimension (equality of access to the third cycle) 3

8. Key issues from EUA projects on doctoral programmes Supervision : • Arrangements based on a contract between PhD candidate, supervisor and institution with rights and responsibilities = good practice in many HEIs • Multiple supervision encouraged • Supervision should be recognised as a part of workload • Increased need for professional skills development for supervisors (training of supervisors) Transferable skills development: • Transferable skills training should be an integral part of the first, second and third cycles • Adequate funding of transferable skills training is crucial 3

9. Key issues from EUA projects on doctoral programmes Research careers: • Universities & public authorities share a collective responsibility for promoting attractive research careers for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers • Status of doctoral candidate = early stage researcher (out of 36 countries responding in survey in 24 countries status is mixed; in 9 countries candidates have status of a student, in 3 countries – status of an employee) • Whatever the status is, it is crucial that the candidate is given all commensurate rights (healthcare, pension, social security) 3

10. Key issues from EUA projects on doctoral programmes Internationalisation and mobiliy: • Universities are encouraged to enhance their efforts to support mobility at doctoral level as a part of their institutional strategy (joint programmes, co-tutelles, European doctorates, trans-sectoral mobility, internationalisation inside universities such as recruiting more international staff, organisation of international summer schools and conferences; using new technologies for e-learning or tele-conferences, etc.) • Mobility has to be recognised as an added value for career development of early stage researchers. 3

11. New doctoral programmes in Europe? • A range of innovative doctoral programmes are emerging as a response to the changes of a fast-growing global labour market (professional doctorates, industrial doctorates, European doctorates etc.) • Diversity of doctoral programmes reflects diversity of European HEIs that have autonomy to develop their missions and priorities • Consensus: original research has to remain the main component of all doctorates • Further debate on new doctorates as well as new vision of the doctorate is needed 3

12. Web resources • European Researcher’s Mobility Portal: http://ec.europa.eu/eracareers/index_en.cfm • European Commission’s website: http://ec.europa.eu/index_en.htm • Website of the European University Association (EUA): www.eua.be 3